Buck
Buck was an extremely powerful altered gorilla housed in a specially-built cage at the San Bruno Primate Shelter. He was notable for being the only ape to never be harassed by Dodge Landon. He was bad tempered, strong and brave, and was seen trying to get out and banging his cage. He was freed by Caesar and at first refused to go out, but after a few seconds Buck quickly dashed through the play area and begin playing with the toys the other apes played with. He respected Caesar and became his friend and his "muscle", even helping Caesar to make Rocket respect him. After the ape uprising at the facility, Buck was ordered by Caesar, with a group of Chimps, to free the apes held at the San Francisco Zoo. In the climactic battle on the Golden Gate Bridge, Buck set his target on a nearby policeman on horseback. He ran up under the horse, lifting it up. This caused the officer to fall off. Buck approached the policeman and prepared to kill him, but Caeser stopped him. He later led some other Gorillas in a charge to push an overturned bus along the bridge, to shield them against police bullets. He also helped throw off a policeman who drove his car in reverse to the sideline of the bridge into the ocean from shooting off the apes with his pistol. As Caesar was about to get shot down by Steven Jacobs and a sharpshooter in a helicopter, Buck sacrificed his life to take down the helicopter, which crashed onto the bridge, killing the occupants, but got repeatedly shot in the process. Caesar was saddened to lose his friend and his death was avenged by letting Koba finish off Jacobs. History Rise of the Planet of the Ape Making a friend Not much is known about Buck only that he was inmate at the San Bruno Primate Shelter along with Maurice, Rocket, Cornelia and Caesar. He was noted to be the only ape never to be harassed by Dodge Landon and was always kept in his cage isolated from the other apes and never once being allowed out causing him to feel lonely at being unable to interact with his own kind. He is first seen trying to break out banging on the doors non stop his actions caught the attention of an observing Caesar who took an interest in the Gorilla. On that same night, Caesar who learned how to pick locks escaped his cage and managed to open a sleeping Buck's cage. Caesar woke him up by touching the Gorilla's back, causing Buck to wake up screaming at Caesar and prepared to attack the Chimpanzee. However, Buck soon realized his cage was opened and though hesitant to walk out he quickly dashed out the cage rolling around in the straw in the den, playing with the toys the other apes played with over the years. Truly happy and grateful to be free he thanked the smiling Caesar and grew to respect him. Caesar then lured Rocket to the den and with Buck's help he overthrew Rocket as the alpha and took up the mantle of alpha of the shelter. Buck is later seen eating a cookie and howling with other apes after Caesar chose to stay at the shelter instead of leaving with Will Rodman. At night, Caesar would expose the apes to the ALZ-113 drug which would increase their intelligence there is no doubt he exposed Buck to the drug as the Gorilla was shown to have green eyes the next morning. When Caesar rebelled against Dodge and spoke in english Buck was utterly shocked and speechless along with the other apes present as Caesar continued talking. Liberation Caesar would then free all the other apes including Buck and the apes would leave the shelter and head for the city. Arriving at the outskirts of the city Caesar divided his forces into two Rocket and Buck head to the San Francisco Zoo while Caesar's group head for Gen Sys Labs. Once at the zoo, Buck terrorizes the area freeing more of his ape brethren. Buck's actions at the zoo not only liberated more apes to his people' cause but had gave his people another contribution as when knocking down a cage the apes use the bars as spears in their fight against the humans. Ape Leader After gaining more apes Buck led his people out of the area until they met up with Caesar's group who had just freed more evolved apes making a full army whose number's were in hundreds. With this Buck had became Caesar's fourth in command and the leader of the Gorillas in the army. Later he and Maurice are in the city until they spot two police cars heading towards them while Maurice threw a sewer lid at one Buck had rip a parking meter out of the ground and threw it at the other stopping both cars in their place. The two would then meet up with the others and join up with Caesar and Rocket on a trolley heading for the Golden Gate Bridge: the army's next target. Battle At Golden Gate Bridge Once at the bridge the apes scared off the people who were caught in traffic and began making their way to the center of the bridge. The people seeing nothing but wild apes causing a ruckus had the police arrive at the bridge to form a blockade in hopes of wiping out the apes before they caused more trouble. However, Caesar had anticipated this strategy and ordered his people to halt noticing the police riding on horses who were attempting to lure the apes to the shooters on the other side. Caesar then ordered new recruit Koba to lead the Chimpanzees on the bridge high wire using the fog as cover while Maurice leads the Orangutans and some of the Chimpanzees from the bottom of the bridge. Afterwards Caesar led his army to the center of the bridge as the police riders attacked them but Caesar knocked one down and had Buck join him. Buck then attacked a rider and while taking many blows from his baton he threw the rider to ground and was about to kill him however, Casear told him "No!". With that Buck instead growled at the human's face before pushing him to the ground and meeting up with the others. Caesar put his plans into action by having Buck and the Gorillas use their strength to push a large bus in to the center of the bridge which turned out to be effective as the police had begun to shoot and the bus held them off their bullets. Caesar riding on a horse emerged from the fog and had the apes attack the officers resulting in a serious battle with the apes catching the humans off-guard with their brute strength and intelligence. The battle ended when a police van with apes on top of it nearly stumbled off the bridge and Buck busting through it's back door and throwing the officer off the bridge to his death. The remaining officers then fled the bridge as the ape army began to celebrate over their amazing victory over humanity. However, this quickly subsided as a police helicopter rose up and began shooting the army causing the apes to suffer serious casualties and injuries. On board the chopper was Steven Jacobs, Director of Gen Sys Labs had the police target caesar seeing him as the ape leader this forced him to head for cover in a police van where he took a chain and threw it at the shooter and jacobs knocking them both down. But this caused the other shooter to go into action and put the alpha in danger. Luckily, Buck who witnessed this pushed Caesar out of the way and leaped at the helicopter while taking countless bullets to the chest but nevertheless making it on board where he attack the shooter and pilot causing the chopper to spiral out of control and crash into the bridge where a series of explosions occurred. Death Caesar quickly ran to the downed helicopter and pulled a critically injured Buck out of the wreckage. Buck slowly dying and with only a few seconds to live, thanks Caesar for his friendship and passes on in the arms of a true friend. Caesar close Buck's eyes and gently laid his body down and started to grieve over the lost of his very dear friend, as this was happening Caesar heard a voice cry out for help. Walking to the wrecked helicopter Caesar discovered a still alive but wounded Jacobs barely hanging over the ledge of the nearly off the bridge chopper. Jacobs begged Caesar for help and at first he was considering to, but his hatred of humans like Jacobs; who have abused, oppressed, and mistreated apes, and the loss of his friend told him not, to so he pulled his hand back and nodded at Koba to do what he wanted with the human. Koba knocked the helicopter off the bridge with his foot and sent a screaming Jacobs hurtling to his death thereby avenging Buck's heroic death. Legacy In the ten years after Buck's death, another Gorilla named Luca has become Buck's successor; the new leader of the Gorillas serving as the new fourth-in-command of Caesar's Ape Army. Luca is also trusted in guarding the entrance of the Ape Colony's new village and is just as loyal to Caesar as Buck was to the ape leader. Personality Buck at first appeared reclusive, antisocial and depressed by his terms of incarceration. He constantly ignored the attempts by the other apes and even Dodge Landon to socialise with him. He also shows reluctance to break free when Caesar confronts him, but then bursts into the enclosure. He is enigmatic and powerful, and undoubtedly became a magnificent ally to Caesar. He is then shown to have a terrifying bad temper, and appears to have a limit of self-control. He was the only known ape in Caesar's colony that risked everything for his Alpha. He was terrifyingly brave and incredibly selfless. This was shown when, at the climax of the Battle of the Golden Gate Bridge when Caesar was attacked by a helicopter, commandeered by Steven Jacobs, and Buck broke through the firing line, smashing through the helicopter, killing all but one of the passengers and, in the process, killing himself. Buck's courage showed that he had very much grown to care for and admire Caesar, despite not knowing him that well. His death was the primary subject of Caesar's vengeance. Abilities *'Animal Strength:' Like all Gorillas Buck was extremely powerful and strong. He was so strong that Rocket, the former alpha of the shelter chose to give in to Caesar's demand of being alpha, lest Buck would no doubt attack him. Buck was amongst the advanced guard that Maurice set up around Caesar and displayed frightening strength during the Ape Rebellion, and at the climax the battle on the Golden Gate Bridge; he smashed through the helicopter, killing all but one of the passengers. *'Animal Speed:' Despite his size Buck was much faster than he appeared to be. After Caesar unlock his cage, Buck bursts into the enclosure with formidable speed, at the climax the battle on the Golden Gate Bridge; when Caesar was attacked by a helicopter, commandeered by Steven Jacobs, and Buck broke through the firing line, moving with unbelievable speed. *'Skilled Combatant:' Buck was a skilled combatant. During the Battle on the Golden Gate Bridge, Buck was able to go head-on with a police officer, who was riding a horse despite the fact that the police officer repeatedly hit him in the face with a baton, he most definitely would have killed the police officer, if Caesar had not told Buck to let him live. *'Advanced Intelligence:' Due to his eyes being green in one scene it can be said that Caesar may have administered the ALZ-113 drug to Buck (off-screen) which gave the gorilla increased intelligence. Even before he was exposed to the ALZ-113, he had some level of intelligence as shown with his loyalty towards Caesar. After he was exposed to the ALZ-113, Buck became much more intelligent than before, it was unknown how much his advanced intelligence and IQ had increased. During the Battle on the Golden Gate Bridge, Buck was about to kill a police officer, but Caesar told him no (in english), Buck clearly understood what he said and spared the human. *'Speech:' Having inhaled the ALZ-113, Buck had gained the ability of speech. At the climax the battle on the Golden Gate Bridge; after Buck sacrifice himself to save Caesar from a helicopter, commandeered by Steven Jacobs, in his final moments it appeared that he was trying to say thank you to Caesar. Relationships Caesar , Buck's good friend and alpha.]]Caesar was Buck's good friend. When Caesar freed him from his cage, though hesitant, he was thankful to be free of his cage prison. Buck is the first ape to acknowledge Caesar as Alpha and helps him overthrow the brutish Rocket. As time goes on, the two apes become close and Caesar chooses Buck to serve as the "muscle" of the ape army during the battle of the Golden Gate Bridge as well as becoming his fourth-in-command. When Caesar is being shot at, Buck jumps in, taking the bullets for him before leaping at the Helicopter, bringing it crashing down onto the bridge. This final act of courage from Buck saddened Caesar when his friend died in front of him. Caesar now on the verge of revenge, has Koba push the mangled mess of a helicopter with a protesting Jacobs inside down over the bridge to avenge Buck's heroic death. Rocket , Buck's fellow inmate.]]Rocket was Buck's fellow inmate. Despite not having a lot of interaction, Buck had a opinion about Rocket. Like Maurice, Buck saw Rocket as brutish and as a bully, having seen what he was doing to Caesar. When Caesar lured Rocket out of his cage and into the play area, Rocket suddenly felt afraid as Buck was likely to beat him up if he didn't step down as Alpha. When the apes escaped from San Bruno and ended up on the streets of San Franscisco, Rocket and Buck joined Maurice and Caesar on the top of a cable car that going along the road showing that he was now loyal to Caesar, thanks to Buck. Notes * Buck was named in tribute to Buck Kartalian, who played Gorilla characters in both Planet of the Apes and Conquest of the Planet of the Apes, and who remains very active at Apes fan conventions to this day. * An earlier version of the script has Buck survive the battle at Golden Gate Bridge, throwing Dodge off the bridge to his death after Dodge has killed Rocket. * In his final moments he appears to say something along the lines of "Thank you" to Caesar. * In Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, he does not appear as he died in the previous film but he will be replaced by Stone. Trivia *If Buck had not died in Rise of the Planet of the Apes, he most definitely would have become an important figure in Caesar's Ape Colony, as well as became a member of the Ape Council. *Buck is the only known Gorilla to have been given ALZ-113 as all the other Gorillas in the ape colony were not given this drug. More to Come... Image Gallery Buck 1.jpg|Concept Art. wetaBuck.jpg|Richard Ridings as Buck. ThumbnailCA7WAA3Z.jpg|Out for the first time. ThumbnailCAJKNV0O.jpg|Caesar, Rocket, Maurice and Buck. ThumbnailCACQG1A0.jpg|Buck with police. BuckPlane.jpg|Buck takes the helicopter down. ThumbnailCA11WW4B.jpg|Helicoptor takedown. Buck dies.jpg|Buck's death. Buck 3.jpg|Meeting a friend. Buck2.jpg|Charging at the horse. Risesketch1.jpg|Caesar, Maurice and Buck art. 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